Introducing Musculoskeletal Therapist, Trista Spolarich
For as long as I can remember, chiropractic has been a very common and important part of my life. I’ve been receiving care since I was a small child, and to this, I accredit much of my “clean bill of health”. Growing up in a small, isolated town of 120 in northern Minnesota (MN), USA, our family relied on our outdoor environment for food, entertainment, and most importantly, our health. We often ate fresh veggies from the garden, fish from the river, wild rice from the lakes, and meat from my uncle’s pasture-fed cattle farm.
My father was an avid hunter (or “deer slayer” as I like to call him, as he always knew exactly where to find the big trophy bucks!). As a result, we also ate quite a bit of venison, and have a wall in our house dedicated to these fourteen trophy deer (since my dad also knows how to do his own taxidermy). Rarely were my siblings and I ever taken to the medical doctor. It simply wasn’t necessary. I can only recall one time; when I was six and fractured my “collar bone” after a big fall. We were “healthy” children. Very rarely were we ever “sick”. We were also all very active; always playing outside. I’ve had a lot of bumps, bruises, scrapes, trips and falls in my life, but have been fortunate enough to recovery from them quite quickly, if any injuries were sustained at all.
I often kept myself entertained by engaging in outdoor activities. Jogging outdoors, hiking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, helping my parents with the garden, and tubing were a few of my personal favorites. I was also a high school athlete, participating in volleyball, basketball, and track and field, and a hurdler for the Bemidji State University (BSU) Track and Field team.
Upon high school graduation, I began my undergraduate studies at BSU in Bemidji, MN, USA. From there, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and co-major in Biology and Pre-Chiropractic, as well as a double minor in Business Administration and Chemistry. Upon graduation, I attended Northwestern Health Sciences University (NWHSU) in Bloomington, MN, USA, where I graduated with my Doctorate of Chiropractic.
While I was completing my final trimester at NWHSU, I was fortunate enough to land my final chiropractic internship at Roughan Chiropractic here in Christchurch. Since arriving, I’ve fallen in love with the people, the practice, the scenery, and the excitement that New Zealand has to offer (since you never know when the ground is going to start moving underneath your feet)!
I am an active member of the Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF). An international nonprofit, tax-exempt nutrition education foundation, dedicated to restoring nutrient dense foods into the human diet. The WAPF supports organic and biodynamic farming, pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labeling, and prepared parenting and nurturing therapies. All congruent to the way that I was raised in small town MN.
During my Internship clinical placement here at Roughan Chiropractic I have seen first-hand the immense benefit to the patient of the integrated hands-on approach employed in this practice. The Practice engages top Chiropractic Doctors working alongside Massage Therapists, Soft Tissue Therapists, Clinical Nutritionists and Musculoskeletal Therapists using an evidence-based integrated format in spinal injury rehabilitation. It is definitely the way forward to assist our patients to reclaim their lives again after a nasty spinal injury. This seems to be the model that ACC here in NZ is currently promoting in its “Back to Work” initiatives.
My role as the Musculoskeletal Therapist at Roughan Chiropractic is to work with the Chiropractors and others on our Team to effect good health outcomes for you, our patients and practice members. I will pay particular attention to the relationship of muscles and fasciae to structural and neurological aspects of the body, both in health and diseased states. I will work alongside our key clinicians to optimally benefit each patient’s specific condition. Treatment sessions will incorporate a combination of soft tissue techniques, joint mobilisations and myofascial release to address all the components of the kinetic chain. It is vital in our wellness paradigm that suggested lifestyle modifications and evidence based specific clinical nutrition will also be offered to you the patient. These suggestions are all aimed at aiding and accelerating recovery and tissue healing.
I am also available for both classroom and workplace spinal assessment and exercise programmes. These can be part of OSH programmes regarding safe lifting techniques or correct posture on the work floor. Please arrange a suitable time through our reception. We offer fun daily spinal health exercises known as StraightenUp NZ. We encourage schools to contact us to come and show these exercises for your children. Posture (carrying one’s body frame correctly when standing and sitting) is one indicator of spinal health in the young, so let’s prevent that spinal decay. Please check out the website www.straightenupnz.com
I am thrilled with this opportunity to work in such a wellness focused integrated practice. This has been a particular dream of mine for many years. I look forward to meeting you, and working as your Musculoskeletal Therapist and clinical team member of Roughan Chiropractic, alongside our other dedicated healthcare professionals. Call (03) 365-7828.
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